On March 12 from 10 AM to 12 PM (CET), the European Mentoring Network (eument-net) invites you to an engaging expert exchange on:
„Empowering early career researchers: Starting and managing a mentoring program“
Learn about effective approaches to mentoring and explore strategies for creating impactful mentoring programs that support the next generation of researchers.
Speakers:
Dr. Nina Fischer – „Advancing Women in Science: Why It Matters“, trainer Dr. Ines Crisostomo – coordinator of ADVANCE Mentoring Programme of the University of Luxembourg and eument-net member Ekaterina Masetkina M.A. – coordinator of SelmaMeyerMentoring Programme of the University of Dusseldorf and eument-net chair.
We look forward to an engaging discussion and the exchange of experiences. Join us:
Committee Lead: Ekaterina Masetkina MA, Michaela Gindl MA, Dr Dagmar Höppel, Dr Evelyne Rusdea (EUMENT-NET) & Dr Ola Thomson (COST Action VOICES) will host this year’s event at the Heinrich Heine University (HHU) Dusseldorf, Germany, home to the pioneering and highly successful SelmaMeyerMentoring programme. HHU is renowned for its cutting-edge research across various disciplines. The university also hosts the Life Science Center, a state-of-the-art facility supporting innovative startups and companies in life sciences and related technologies.
Inclusive Research Cultures Through Mentorship: a Practitioner-Researcher Dialogue. Exploring the role of mentorship in shaping inclusive and transformative research culture
Universities in many European countries offer mentoring programs for women* to support their academic careers and reduce their underrepresentation in academic leadership positions. To further the professional development of experts in this field, the eument-net network and the COST Action VOICES are jointly organizing an International Expert Exchange, featuring various workshops and best-practice sessions.
Workshop 1 Transformative change towards gender equity at universities / Prof. Dr Liudvika Leišytė
Workshop 2 The power of mentoring: A Multi-Perspective Approach on quality assessment in Academia / Dr. Nina Steinweg
Workshop 3 Flipping the Script: Reverse Mentoring for Inclusive Research Cultures / Dr. Alice Matimba
This event brings together mentorship managers and coordinators, researchers, personal development officers, and stakeholders to share their expertise, experiences, challenges, wins big and small, and evidence-based approaches to inclusive mentoring. By bridging practical experience and academic knowledge, we aim to elevate mentorship as a tool for inclusive research cultures in which diversity is a critical building block for the common good.
Join us for a collaborative dialogue to exchange good practice, cross pollinate new ideas, and build connections across disciplines, as well as learn from non-academic settings. Together, we will explore how mentoring can become a powerful tool for cultivating equitable and innovative research environments and facilitate institutional change for inclusive gender equality.
It is possible to apply for an Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Grant to join the event in Dusseldorf. Please contact Ekaterina Masetkina for an invitation for your Erasmus Office.
This co-organised event is based upon work from COST Action VOICES, CA20137, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.
This publication presents diverse mentoring programs aimed at promoting gender equality in academia across Europe. Preparing the international conference „Mentoring – Potentials for the Advancement of Female Careers in European Academia and Research, and for Gender Equality Plans,“ which took place in September 2024 at Constanta Maritime University in Romania, the editors engaged with practitioners who are actively involved in mentoring programs and gender equality initiatives in academia. The outcomes of these efforts have been compiled in this publication to provide the reader with an overview of various mentoring programs. In addition, the various abstracts submitted to the conference program highlight the topics that mentoring managers are currently addressing. Eument-net is proud to support and bring to the forefront mentoring initiatives that play a crucial role in empowering women scientists and promoting gender equality in academia and research across Europe.
Mentoring and Gender Equality in European Academia and Research
On December, 3, 2024 from 10:00 to 11:15 am (CET) eument-net invites
all interested parties to the expert exchange
Many researchers in untenured academic positions experience the tension between the drive for rapid, high-volume publishing and the need for thoughtful, in-depth research. In this talk we will discuss ways to support an academic culture that challenges the prevailing “publish-or-perish” paradigm and to foster a more welcoming and productive environment for researchers.
Beyond summarizing key developments of recent discussions, we will spotlight two unique perspectives. Insights will be shared into Anna Lena’s academic journey. Through participation in Kiel University’s mentoring programme via:mento specifically designed for women postdoctoral researchers, and through broader networking initiatives, she has found support and direction, enabling her to realign her work with her scientific values. This will be complemented by reflections on Ruth’s experiences as the coordinator of the mentoring programme, illustrating how mentoring initiatives can not only foster participants’ career development but also renew postdoctoral researchers’ commitment to scientific inquiry.
Keynotes and authors: Anna Lena Bercht and Ruth Kamm
Anna Lena Bercht is a human geographer with a background in psychology. She works in the Department of Geography at Kiel University and is an associate member of the Disaster Research Unit at Freie University of Berlin. From 2015 to 2018, she was a visiting researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) at Stockholm University. Her research lies at the intersection of geography and psychology focusing on human-environment relationships, climate justice and psychological barriers to behaviour change. Using qualitative research methods, she has conducted fieldwork in China, Norway and Germany. Her most recent funded research projects examine barriers to climate adaptation and explore effective climate communication strategies. Anna Lena is also a former mentee of the via:mento mentoring programme at Kiel University.
Ruth Kamm has been with Kiel University’s Central Office for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunity & Family since 2010, where she coordinates the mentoring programme via:mento for women postdocs pursuing their academic career after their doctorate. Before taking on the additional task of consulting the university’s collaborative research project consortia on their gender equality activities, she has been working for different collaborative project networks in the field of marine sciences in Kiel. Here, she has also dedicated herself to supporting women in non-tenured positions in their career development and advocating for more equality within the academic system. Ruth has a background in political sciences with a focus on higher education research.
Mentoring – Potentials for the advancement of female careers in European academia and research and for Gender Equality Plans
02. – 03. September 2024, Constanţa, Romania
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to our upcoming international conference. The core aims are to share good practices and positive examples of mentoring programs designed for advancing female careers in academia and Gender Equality Plans (GEP) actions. The event will also provide excellent networking opportunities for developing joint actions in mentoring and overall gender equality.
Objectives of the conference:
1. Improve action based on mutual sharing and discussion on mentoring and overall gender equality.
2. Brochure on the variety of mentoring programs in Europe and GEP prerequisites.
3. Share good practices on mentoring as part of Gender Equality Plan and on changing organisational culture towards gender equality.
We welcome members of academic and research institutions, practitioners, governmental agencies and any other individuals interested in mentoring programs and GEP and institutions across Europe. Please read about the opportunities to take part in the Call for Contributions.
Venue:
Constanţa Maritime University / UNIVERSITATEA MARITIMA DIN CONSTANTA Mircea cel Bătrân Street no. 104
Constanţa 900663, Romania
Eument-net is opening a Call for Contributions, kindly inviting you to take part in the professional exchange within the frames of the International Conference:
Mentoring – Potentials for the advancement of female careers in European academia and research and Gender Equality Plans, held on 2–3. September 2024, in Constanta, Romania
On June, 12 at 10:30-12:00 Dr.Julie Batut (Universite Toulouse, FR) gives a talk on how to establish an inclusive and operational mentor-mentee relationship using the tools of collective intelligence. Mentoring plays a crucial role in personal and professional development, providing support and knowledge transfer between experienced mentors and people seeking to grow. Establishing a mentor-mentee relationship requires a shared understanding of the principles of mentoring and a solid foundation of trust and communication. A practical one-day workshop has therefore been created to build this relationship collectively. The tools used help to build bridges between people and clarify the needs, rights and duties of each person in the interests of an inclusive and active science.
Since 1998, the MuT mentoring program of Stuttgart (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) has been supporting female scientists on their way to professorship. During this time, a considerable mentoring network has been built up and countless success stories of professorships among mentees have been celebrated. Current statistics and personal reports show, how important the mentoring program for women in science continues to be.
Over the past 25 years, Dagmar Hoeppel, the initiator of MuT mentoring and distinguished Vice President of eument-net, has not only paved the way for gender equality in academia in Germany, but has also set standards as a pioneer at the European level. Her vision and commitment to equal chances have not only crossed borders, but also paved the way for other ground-breaking initiatives, such as European Mentoring Network, eument-net. The European cooperation in the field of mentoring, which Dagmar Hoeppel has driven forward, is a shining example of her ability to think beyond national borders and connect people. Building networks, transferring knowledge and promoting mutual understanding have always been central elements of her work. Dagmar´s sound scientific findings in mentoring and gender equality have not only laid the foundation for the development of guidelines and programs, but have also contributed to the global discussion on equality and inclusion.
Eument-net would like to extend the heartfelt congratulations to the eldest mentoring for female scientists in Germany and to thank everyone, who contributed to the success of this program. As one of the first programs of its kind Germany-wide, the MuT mentoring program for female scientists in Stuttgart has made an important contribution to the advancement of women in science. It has supported women in developing their talents, achieving their goals and overcoming obstacles.
Eument-net wishes our member MuT program continued success on your journey. May MuT mentoring encourage the next generations of female scientists and continue to be an inspiring role model for other countries and universities!
Anniversary celebration on December 8, 2023: Ekaterina Masetkina, Dr. Dorett Schneider, Dr. Dagmar Hoeppel, Michaela Gindl, Dr. Christina Kurmeyer (left to right)
Hosted by the kite mentoring (University of Freiburg) and the European Mentoring Network, eument-net, the conference „Flying to New Heights with kite Mentoring“ was a platform for profound professional exchange, knowledge sharing, and transformative insights.
With a focus on gender equality and the invaluable practice of mentoring, this event is set to ignite a spark of inspiration and innovation. Featuring delegates from eight European countries, we were proud to stand as a collaborative force, including eument-net members from Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, , Romania and Switzerland. This diverse and united community embodies the spirit of international cooperation and shared knowledge in the field of mentoring and gender equality.
At the core of our mission is the profound belief that mentoring holds the key to unlocking the full potential of female researchers. Our mission is to empower female early career researchers in science and business, fostering a generation of leaders who will soar to new heights.
We owe a great deal of our progress to the exchange of best practices, a collaborative effort that enriches our community. The kite mentoring of the University of Freiburg serves as a shining example of this. It showcases the power of mentorship, guiding individuals towards their academic aspirations with unwavering dedication. Eument-net extends the heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Evelyn Rusdea, a scientific coordinator of kite mentoring and a member of the Executive Board of eument-net, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the kite mentoring programme for female researchers.
Thank you for being a part of this remarkable gathering!
In October 2023, our eument-net member „kite-mentoring“ program will celebrate its anniversary „Flying to new heights with kite-mentoring – 10 years of empowering women“ at the University of Freiburg. The European mentoring network will support this celebration with a joint International conference on 12-13October 2023 for its members and all interested parties.
Two keynote speakers will discuss gender equality and mentoring in academia: Prof. Dr. Tomas Brage (Lund University, Sweden) – “Gender bias in academia – a threat to academic values”
Prof. Dr. Marieke van den Brink (Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands) – “Mentoring in higher education – supporting career development and organizational change”
AGENDA
Day 1, Thursday, October 12, 2023
13:00 Registration for the conference
14:00 Opening & all about „kite-mentoring“
16:00 Key Notes & discussion
18:15 Networkingin the loungewith finger food & refreshments
Day 2, Friday, October 13, 2023
09:30 Eument-net Expert Exchange with input from Prof. Marieke van den Brink
12:30 Lunch & Get Together
13:30 General assembly with special focus on future development and activities of eument-net
15:30 End of eument-net meeting
Learn more about how the „kite-mentoring“ program in Freiburg empowers women in STEM fields (Dr. Evelyn Rusdea), meet mentees, alumnae and mentors involved in the program during flash talks, speak with mentoring tandems from academia and industry, and hear from different role models, such as an alumna who recently held a professorship. There will be also various other offers like a small career fair for mentees and alumnae, including a brief presentation of the invited partners from industry. The first conference day will end with networking in the Lounge of IMBIT including finger food, snacks and refreshments.
The second conference day will begin with a Eument-net Expert Exchange involving Prof. Dr. Marieke van den Brink. In her keynote contribution Prof. van den Brink will explore the effects and possibilities of sponsorship and how inclusive gender equality approaches can be integrated into mentoring programs. This will be followed by an interactive session on sharing outcomes and international expert exchange. The participants will discuss in small groups from the perspectives of mentoring programme coordinators, gender equality officers, career advisors, personnel developers, but also of mentees, mentors, institutions and external drivers. The key aspects will be in the focus of the exchange:
recruitment of mentors and mentors’ skills
attitudes of institutions/awareness within institutions
external influences/driving forces
The Eument-net Expert Exchange will end with a joint discussion in the plenary.
During the lunch break, we cordially invite all the eument-net members and interested parties to an informal Get Together. After the lunch there will be the Annual General Assembly of eument-net. We will focus on future development and activities of eument-net as a network and especially on the members interests and needs. Please bring your ideas.
For those who stay in Freiburg after the conference on Friday, October 13 „kite-mentoring“ and eument-net will organize a joint dinner and social networking event at 19:00 for all attendees at „Paradies“ – a traditional beer garden in Freiburg.
Venue: The Conference will take place on both days at
Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg Faculty of Engineering
IMBIT building (Intelligent Machine-Brain Interfacing Technology)
Georges Köhler Allee 201
79110 Freiburg, Germany
The joint dinner & networking event will take place on Friday October 13 at 19:00 at
Restaurant „Paradies“
Mathildenstr. 26
79106 Freiburg, Germany
Accommodation: Book your own accommodation or take advantage of the contingent of rooms pre-reserved for eument-net members at Hotel Stadt Freiburg near the conference venue. 20 single rooms are available for the special price of €110 per night (incl. breakfast buffet); double rooms are available for the special price of €145 per night (incl. breakfast for two people). Participants are able to reserve rooms directly with the hotel up until 12 September 2023 using the keyword “eument-net”. Please only book in writing by sending an email to .
Breisacher Str. 84
79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
In case of requests, please do not hesitate to contact Ekaterina Masetkina, eument-net chair () or Evelyn Rusdea, kite-mentoring coordinator and member of eument-net executive board ().
earch Unit at Freie University of Berlin. From 2015 to 2018, she was a visiting researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) at Stockholm University. Her research lies at the intersection of geography and psychology focusing on human-environment relationships, climate justice and psychological barriers to behaviour change. Using qualitative research methods, she has conducted fieldwork in China, Norway and Germany. Her most recent funded research projects examine barriers to climate adaptation and explore effective climate communication strategies. Anna Lena is also a former mentee of the via:mento mentoring programme at Kiel University.
